Abdulrahim Al-Hwaiti Was Killed For Refusing To Vacate His House
Neom’s Executive, Advisory Bodies and Shareholding Companies Bear Full Responsibility For The Forced Displacement
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) condemned the Saudi regimes displacement of local residents, most of them from Al-Hwitat tribe. The displacement comes in order to start implementing the NEOM Project, announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman in his 2030 vision.
Earlier this year, the Saudi regime announced the planning for the construction of NEOM City, with an estimated cost of $500 Billion, on 26.500 KM. Around 20,000 reside in this area, most of them from Al-Hwitat Tribe, which is spread in Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
While the whole world is preoccupied with fighting Covid-19 pandemic, the Saudi authorities began the forced displacement of Al-Kheriba village residents using excessive violence. The village falls within the first phase of NEOM Project. Saudi national Abdulrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Al-Hwaiti was killed as result of refusing to vacate his house and posting a video on the social media speaking about this.
AOHR UK asserted that forced eviction or displacement of residents, moving them to different social environment is a grave violation of the international law. The public interest cannot be used as a pretext to forcibly evict thousands of residents.
The international law provides that this harsh procedure should only be used in exceptional conditions, and after having exhausted all other alternatives and consulting with the affected communities, after granting residents the right to legal remedy and reviewing the decision before independent, impartial and law enforcing agencies, however this is definitely not provided for the residents of this area.
AOHR UK stressed that many private, public, national and international companies bear the full responsibility for any harm resulting from the forced eviction of residents as they remained silent and did not take any stance against the arbitrary actions carried out by the Saudi authorities.
The organisation urged the international community to intervene and stop the forced displacement of thousands of residents in the villages falling in the construction planning of the NEOM Project. It also urged them to put pressure on the Saudi government to negotiate with the local residents, protect their rights and stop the use of any kind of violence against the residents.
